8:00am Tuesday 19th January 2010
By Paula Roberts
AFC Bournemouth have Cherry Bear and Manchester United have Fred the Red.
But who needs a giant furry mascot when you have Ossie the Westie?
Ossie is a regular on the sidelines at Verwood Sports and Social Club Football Club and accompanies the team to all home games and many away games.
The six-year-old West Highland terrier has become a big hit with players and their supporters and dons a shirt in the team colours.
Not only is Ossie the team mascot, he loves to show off his own football skills on the pitch and can head the ball and dribble.
His owner Gareth Finch is treasurer of the club and said Ossie has been supporting Verwood SSC since the club started four years ago.
“He has always gone to training with them and likes to play football with them,” he said. “They used to kick the ball to him and it snowballed from there. He then just became their mascot.”
Gareth, 38, of Jessica Avenue, Verwood, said his partner Amanda Fisher made Ossie a team shirt which he wears to all games.
“Ossie has always loved playing football and he goes to away games where they allow dogs on the pitch. The team loves him – he goes on the pitch before and after the game but I have to put him on a lead when they are playing otherwise he will be straight on the pitch disrupting the play.”
So does Ossie bring the team good luck? “They started off in division 10 of the Bournemouth Sunday league four years ago and now they are in division six. They are doing all right,” said Gareth.
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